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Jonathon's avatar

It’s certainly a better idea than subsidising the bottom 25% for existing. And society could also provide incentives for mothers to bear more high-IQ children, as such an investment can also have a decent ROI.

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Godfree Roberts's avatar

Good stuff!

Singapore has such a program, picking up the tab for all its gifted kids' education through post-grad. In return, they must accept a government position for several years if called upon. Which most, surprisingly, aren't.

China's 'program' is scary strong: an extended clan (one has 90 million members) will get behind a gifted youngster, ensuring that he or she gets every break possible.

Then 100-million Party members are always looking to hand out scholarships to gifted youngsters. Many leading officials were first noticed in this way, President Hu being one. He was from a poor family, but gifted, so the Party sent him all the way to Tsinghua, where he captained the ballroom dancing club, was president of the students' union, and a straight-A engineering student.

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